Formation of the Knights of Ebon Hold
This is the quest chain involving creation of death knights by the Lich King, anhilation of the Scarlet Crusade in Tyr's Hand, New Avalon and Havenshire and redeeming of death knights after the Battle for Light's Hope Chapel. Death Knights join Horde and Alliance respectively in the War against the Lich King. Creation With an idea to establish a foothold in Eastern Kingdoms, Lich King brings the ziggurat Acherus above Eastern Plaguelands. Then he ordered the Val'kyr, spirits capable of resurrecting dead to resurrect fallen heroes of Horde and Alliance, turning them into one of the Scourge, the death knights. These knights had no memory of their past, no morality and just did what the Lich King ordered to do. Acherus had very large stocks of swords, maces, prisoners and runeforges. Instructor Razuvious trained the newly formed death knights in swordsmanship, forgery, and to test them in every way possible that they listened to no one but the Lich King. Instructor Razuvious sends death knights to the Lich King, where they use the Eye of Acherus. The Eye of Acherus is the all Seeing Eye looming above the Acherus, which helps the death knights in watching, planning and forming strategies about the structures, numbers and strategic holdouts of the Scarlet Crusade at New Avalon. Attack on Havenshire There were only two resistances to the Scourge in that area, the Scarlet Crusade and the Argent Dawn. The Lich King orders the death knights to report to Highlord Darion Mograine with his order to battle Scarlet Crusade and then deal with Argend Dawn later. Mograine, wielding the famous Ashbringer, sends death knights to the Death's Breach below the Acherus, to report to Prince Valanar. Valanar gives death knights a mission to slaughter the Scarlet soldiers and most importantly the fleeing innocent villagers, which will strike terror in their hearts, also to leave their bodies intact for resurrecting them as undead. At Death's Breach Salanar the Horseman requests the death knights to steal horses from the stables at Havenshire so that he can use them as undead steeds. Orithos the Sky Darkener who is the head of the archers division shoot on citizens of Havenshire, using saronite arrows for maximum range and strength, but saronite is found only in Northrend, so to not waste the valuable arrows, Orithos puts the death knights on a mission to retrieve as many shot arrows as possible from Havenshire lands. As Acherus was serving its purpose, Naxxramas wasn't necessary, so Lich King, shifted its position in Dragonblight. Havenshire was in chaos, the Scarlet Enclave had diverted all forces outside New Avalon to set a blockade at Light's Point, for the blockade they need all resources they can spare, so they are in a hurry to acquire as much of the resources it contained and get out of there. Destruction of Havenshire and the Scarlet Fleet Prince Valanar sends the death knights to the necromancer of the Lich King, Gothik the Harvester. Gothik the Harvester sends death knights in the Havenshire Mine to spread the plague from his device and bring ghouls of the miners to him. This created terror in the hearts of the Scarlet Crusade and will retreat from the mine as quickly as possible. Then death knights infiltrated the Light's Point, and into the retreating ships of Scarlet Fleet, using their own canons against them destroying the entire Scarlet Fleet. With their defeat at Havenshire and then at Light's Point, the Scarlet Crusade only at New Avalon existed posing a threat to the Acherus. After the end of the Scarlet Fleet, Prince Valanar sends a report containing the incident that took place regarding Havenshire and Scarlet Fleet at Light's Point. Darion Mograine impressed with the display of power from Prine Valanar and the death knights, remember his father, The Ashbringer. Assault on New Avalon Mograine then sends his next order to Prince Valanar to move further and assault New Avalon. Baron Rivendare and Prince Keleseth with a minor force of ghouls to capture the Crypt of Remembrance from the Scarlet Crusade. The ghouls had started the assault on the gates of New Avalon thereby weakening Scarlet Crusade front lines. Prince Keleseth knew that the ghouls assaulting the gates of New Avalon will not achieve anything, so he sends his agents to assassinate the mayor of New Avalon and collect important documents about their further strategies. When the agents return with the news of mayor's death, Prince Keleseth studies the documents that his agents brought. He discovers that the Scarlet Crusade had sent three ships to Northrend itself and some faction known as Crimson Dawn is leading them. Meanwhile Baron Rivendare sends the death knights to weaken the New Avalon numbers, by slaughtering the guards and citizens and terrorizing them. Prince Keleseth with a motive of finding out more about the 'Crimson Dawn' sends death knights with a special dagger which forces the enemy to speak truth. The death knight captures one Scarlet Preacher and attacks him with Keleseth's daggers and then the preacher reveals that Crimson Dawn is an awakening, an assault on the frozen wastes of Northrend, that the Holy Light itself spoke to the High General Abbendis and he chooses who goes to Northrend and who stays behind. Before dying the Preacher also said that a courier was arriving from Hearthglen and then he died. When death knight tells Keleseth about the incident Keleseth agreed that this courier from Hearthglen could reveal something more. Keleseth sent Orbaz Bloodbane, Thassarian and Koltira Deathweaver in New Avalon to set up a centre of secret base amongst the enemies near Chapel of the Crimson Flame. Orbaz Bloodbane took the nearby Scarlet defenders as prisoners and interrogated them. One of them mentioned about the patrol routes that were kept in the Scarlet Hold. Bloodbane sends the death knights to steal the patrol routes and bring it to him. Bloodbane reads that the courier from Hearthglen was to arrive at New Avalon shortly. Escape from Scarlet Hold Thassarian was concerned about Koltira Deathweaver. While fighting with the Crusade, the Scarlet Crusade ambushed Orbaz, Thassarian and Koltira. Thassarian was able to retreat but Koltira was captured. Thassarian wanted to know if Koltira was alive or dead, so he sent death knights in the Scarlet Hold to find out. When death knights reached the Scarlet Hold, they heard the guards talking about keeping Koltira in the dungeons, torturing and questioning him. The death knights made their way to the dungeon and found Koltira lying on a wooden bed. When death knights approached him, Koltira cursed Thassarian for sending the death knights for his rescue, as it will lead to their slaughter. Suddenly the alarms sounded, Koltira weak to fight the guards created an anti-magic shield, to save the death knights from Crusade's spells. Koltira and death knights killed all the guards and High Inquisitor Valroth. While escaping Koltira told the death knight that the prisoners of Scarlet Crusade are being executed at Chapel of Crimson Flame. Thassarian sends Commander Plaguefist and a team of death knights to the Chapel of Crimson Flame to save the Scourge prisoners. Plaguefist finds no death knights or Scourge prisoners there, but found Argent Dawn prisoners. Most of the prisoners were dead before arriving and the remaining were then executed by Plaguefist. Defeat of the Scarlet armies Orbaz Bloodbane sent a death knight at the Scarlet Overlook where the courier was to arrive shortly. The death knight hiding behind a tree, killed the approaching courier with swiftness, took the courier, his clothes and threw the body over the plants to hide it and then handed the courier to Orbaz. The courier contained the following:- High General The armies of Hearthglen and Tirisfal are less than a day's ride from New Avalon. We ride with the light shining upon our backs and the wind at our heels. Soon the Scourge will have to contend with the full might of the Scarlet Crusade! Light Bless You! High Command Galvar Pureblood. Orbaz looked happy with the courier, stating that Scarlet Crusade would be leading to their own massacre. Orbaz sends a death knight disguised with courier's clothes and magic as courier to carry the message to High General Abbendis. When Abbendis reads the message he understands that the Scourge will slaughter each and every one of the Scarlet army. Abbendis hands over a journal to the courier to give it to Galvar, where he instructs that the Scarlet lands are lost and they are to retreat and meet with Abbendis in Northrend. Orbaz Bloodbane informs Darion Mograine about the Crimson Dawn and the approaching armies. Mograine orders to slaughter the approaching armies and raising them as undead Scourge. The armies of Crusade arrived and witnessed the death and destruction of their lands scared them. They were trapped, if they tried to fight they would die and if they tried to flee the Scourge would attack them from behind. To make their deaths worth, the Scarlet armies decided to fight with the Scourge. The Lich King sent the Scourge and the death knights on frost wyrms to battle the armies from both ground and air. Finally after a glorious battle the Scourge came out victorious, defeating the Scarlet Crusade armies. Pleased, the Lich King pointed to one final barrier, the Light's Hope Chapel. The Battle for the Light's Hope Chapel The Lich King ordered Mograine to take the army of death knights, the Scourge to assault the Light's Hope Chapel. The armies of both sides were ready, the Argent Dawn armies were outnumbered on to ten by the Scourge armies. Darion Mograine gives a battle cry and marches towards the chapel with the Scourge armies. With a cry, thousand ghouls raised from the soil below. And then the two forces collided. Though the numbers' edge was with Darion, the Argent Dawn consisted of experienced warriors and the Holy Light itself with them. During the battle, Ashbringer like having a mind of its own started to disobey Darion Mograine and it did not strike the Argent Dawn warriors, even if Darion wanted it to. Then came an armoured paladin with a battlehorse fit for the occasion. His hair and features made it evident that this was not his first battle, and the Light was very strong with him. He rejuvinated the Argent Dawn's spirits, healing them and charged towards the darkness that was Scourge. His name was Tirion Fordring, helping the Argent Dawn to turn the tide on the Scourge. Orbaz Bloodbane scared at the site of Fordring fled from the battlefield. Darion, Koltira and Thassarian bowed in defeat. Tirion revealed that the Lich King feared the Light's Hope Chapel, that's why he sent Darion and his death knights to fight with Argent Dawn, sacrifycing them. Then Alexandros Mograine, The Ashbringer appeared before Darion. Darion remembered his time with his father, when his father was leaving to fight the undead Scourge. The Lich King appeared there and captures Alexandros Mograine's soul. Darion realized that the Lich King created the death knights just to sacrifice them against the Argent Dawn. They were nothing but mere sheep for the Lich King. Angered by this, Darion charged at the Lich King, but Lich King countered and hit Darion knocking him away. The Lich King revealed his true plan, which was to bring Tirion Fordring out of his hiding. Tirion Fordring, a paladin, the first of the paladins had a gift from the Light. He alone possessed the skill, and power to defeat the Lich King. But now he was defenseless. The death knights had served their purpose, now they meant nothing to the Lich King. The Lich King then casted a spell on Tirion weakening him, suffocating him. Seeing their leader dying, the Argent Dawn assaulted the Lich King, but were no match for the Lich King's enormous power, he sent the Argent Dawn warriors flying in all direction with the might of Frostmourne. Darion wakes from his unconsciousness, and witnesses the encounter, and throws the Ashbringer over to Tirion. Tirion catches the Ashbringer, purifies it from corruption. Now Tirion fully recovered and with the full strength of the Ashbringer with him charged the Lich King and strikes him, causing an injury. The Lich King stunned by the sudden turn of events, knew he would be defeated. He teleported from there to Northrend. Tirion disgusted by the damage done by the Lich King, decided that the Lich King had to pay for all the horrors he unleashed upon the world. He announced the formation of the Argent Crusade, combination of the Argent Dawn and the reformed Order of the Silver Hand to strike Arthas in the heart of Northrend. Darion also announced that the Knights of the Ebon Blade will also accompany the Argent Crusade, forming Ashen Verdict. Darion with the help of the death knights planned to retake Acherus from Scourge. The first floor was easily taken, but the second floor was a bit difficult because the Lich King had put Patchwerk to guard the second floor. With the combined help of the death knights Darion killed Patchwerk and took the second floor, thus retaking Acherus in the process. Reunion with the Alliance and Horde Darion needed strong alliances if he wanted his kind and himself. Darion sent Thassarian to King Varian Wrynn with the letter of Tirion Fordring to try and convince Varian to include them into the Alliance and to help them in the assault against the Lich King. He sent a death knight to Thrall, regarding the same. Tirion played an important part in both the Alliance and Thrall's life. Because of his letter only, both Thrall and Varian agreed to include the death knights into their respective factions and fight the Lich King on an united front. Category:Wrath of the Lich King